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G. EDWARDS. EXPANDING APPARATUS FOR FIRE BSGAPES.

No. 415,667. Patented NOW-19, 1889.

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No. 415.667. Patented Nov. 19, 1889 jzyeizz oz' eoryazziwarfl ifihwrw(No Mode'L) 8 Sheets-Sheet 6.

G. EDWARDS.

EXPANDING APPARATUS, FOR FIRE ESGAPES.

No. 415,667. Patented-Nov. 19, 1889.

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EXPANDING APPARATUS FOR FIRE ESOAPES. I No. 415,667. Patented Nov. 19,1889.

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(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 8.

G. EDWARDS.

EXPANDING APPARATUS FOR FIRE BSGAPES, No. 415,667. Patented Nov. 19,1889.

N. PiTERS, Phnlo-Uihngraphen Wtluhingmm D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE EDIV ARDS, OF THORNTON HEATH, ENGLAND.

EXPANDING APPARATUS FOR FlRE-ESCAPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,667, dated November19, 1889.

0 Application filed June 14,1888. Serial No. 277,058. (No model.)Patented in England December 21, 1885, No. 15,699, and June To all whomit may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE EDWARDS, civil engineer, a subject of theQueen of Great Britain, and a resident of Thornton Heath, Eng land, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Expanding Apparatus Useful forFire-Escapes, Scaffolding, Ladders, Observatories, Piers, Ponton andother Bridges, and the like, (for which I have obtained patents in GreatBritain, No. 15,699, dated December 21, 1885, and No. 8,398, dated June11, 1887,) of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying dr'awings.

My invention relates to improvements in expanding and contractingapparatus made by combining a number of lattices or lazytongs in such amanner that the said apparatus will, both when expanded and con.-tracted, have great rigidity. It also relates to devices for use inconnection therewith to adapt the same for various purposes. Thesecombined lattices and lazytongs are expanded, contracted, and retainedby means of screws, ropes, chains, pneumatic or hydraulic apparatus,struts sprags, levers, and other suitable means, separately or combined.They may be mounted on their own wheels, or on carriages, trestles,orplatforms, with or without wheels, or may be used without suchappendages.

Expanding and contracting apparatus as heretofore constructed oflattices or lazytongs are not rigid, and are consequently useless forthe purposes herein mentioned. My invention, however, comprises a systemof combining two or more lattices or lazy-tongs mentioned. Two or morelattices thus united,

forming in cross-section the letters L, V, T, H,

a cross, a triangle, a square, a hexagon, or any suitable form, becomerigid and capable of resisting lateral stresses and bearing weight to,at, or from a considerable height or distance, and such a combination oflattices or lazy-tongs is herein generally called a tower, whether usedin a vertical, inclined, or horizontal position.

Although my invention is applicable to towers of various shapes incrosssection, I will herein describe more 'part-icularl ya square tower.

In the following description the term lat tice is generally used tosignify my expanding and contracting lattice or lazy-tongs provided withseveral slats extending parallel to and overlapping one another;vertical, to signify vertical, or thereabout; horizontal, to signifyhorizontal, or thereabout; cornerplate, to signify any of my improvedconnectors for joining lattices together; ropes,. to signify ropes,chains, cords, bands, belts, or rods; river, to signify any water.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of acomposite expanding and contracting tower composed of lazy-tongs andlattices, showing various forms of expanders, stiffeners, and stays ortrusses, here inafter described. Fig. 2 is a plan of aglandstrapstiffener. Fig. 3 is a View, drawn to an enlarged scale, of achain-tightener withleyer-hook. Fig. 4 is a plan, and Fig. 5 a sideelevation, of a tower with pneumatic or hydraulic tubular eXpanders andtelescopicscreW expanders. Fig. 6 is a view of a hinged swivelnut andcollar or clip, hereinafter described. Figs. 7 and S are perspectiveviews, and Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12, horizontal sections illustratingvarious forms of my improved corner-plates or connectors, hereinafl terdescribed. Fig. 13 is a horizontal section showing an eyebolt connector,hereinafter described. Fig. let is a side elevation showing how thelattices are connected or united by the said corner-plates orconnectors. Fig. 15 is a horizontal section showing a terminalcornerplate or connector, hereinafter described. Fig. 15 is a diagramillustrating the manner of connecting two sections of an expanding an dcontracting structure by means means of chain-gearing and screws.

of the webbed corner-plates E. These cornerplates are attached by rivetsor otherwise to the corners of the adjacent ends of the two sections andare rigidly united by bolts and nuts, as at y in the drawings. When twocorner-plates E are thus connected, they act like one long corner-plateand compel the two sections to expand and contract uniformly andsimultaneously. Fig. 16 shows in transverse section three differentforms of lattice bars or slats. Fig. 17 shows in plan a square towerwith hydraulic or pneumatic expanders at the corners thereof.- Fig. 18is a side elevation of an improved tower bearing against an edifice,showing, also, a cage, a platform, expanding-screws, tilting andleveling legs, and a truss for stiffening the said tower. Fig. 19 isaside elevation of an improved tower fitted as a firemans ladder. Fig. 20is arear elevation of the said tower, showing the same contracted orcollapsed. Fig. 21 is a plan of the said tower. Fig. 22 is a plan of thecarriage for the said tower, showing, also, parts of the gearing'forexpanding and contracting it. Fig. 23 is a detail view of a safety-hookfor the said cage. Fig. 24 is a plan, and Fig. 25 a side elevation, of atrestle-carriage, hereinafter described, for supporting a tower forscaffolding and the-like. Fig. 25 shows an end elevation of the carriageshown in Figs. :24 and 25. \Vhen the frame T israised and the chains Jare removed, there is a clear passage through the said carriage, asshown. Fig. 26 is a side elevation showing part of a tower which isdesigned to be expanded by Fig. 27

'- is'a side elevation of several towers combined in the form of apyramid. plan of an oblong tower.

Fig. 28 is a Fig. 29 is a detail View showing truss-stretchers,hereinafter referred to. Figs. 30 and 31 are enlarged detail sectionalviews of portions of the tower.

of wood partly, or wholly covered or combined with metal, or of othersuitable material, and they may be of any convenient form. I prefer,however, generally, to make them of steel of either of the shapes shownin Fig.13. The bar or slat A in this figure is, as will be seen,trough-shaped in transverse section. A A" show metal and wood combined.The two parts" A may be galvanized together and the wood or otherblocking and filling (if required) put in subsequently.

My expanding and contracting lattices or lazy-tongs are made by bolting,riveting, or otherwise suitably joining together any required number ofthese slats or bars A.

One feature of my invention consists in making the expanding andcontracting apparatus of lattices, each slat or bar of which isconnected or jointed to more than three slats or bars'that is to say,each slat or bar has more than three holes to receive joint-pins,

great weight.

and contract they are firmly held or retained at the proper angle toeach other.

In apparatus of this kind as heretofore construct-ed lattices are notused, but ordinary lazy-tongs only, and these are usually secured at thecenter toframes placed within the structure, the said lazy-tongs notbeing connected at the corners, except through the said frames. In othercases two lazy-tongs are united parallel with each other by means ofbars, like the rounds or rungs of a ladder. The said apparatus istherefore deficient in respect of rigidity, and has to be made ofMoreover, the said frames and rungs do not expand and contract, andexpanders must be applied at all sides of the apparatus and operatedsimultaneously. In my improved apparatus the lattices or lazytongs, orboth combined, are united at the edges and become so uniformly connectedthat they can be expanded by a screw at one corner or side, and can beheld expanded and rigid by a strut at one corner or side, if desired.

When two lattices are joined together by means of my'improvedcorner-plates or connectors and rivets or bolts at an angle-thus Ltheybecome rigid and not easily deflected when expanded, providing some partof the lat tice be locked or prevented from moving upon the rivets orbolts. WVhen three lattices are joinedthus U, or thusA-they become stillmore rigid and are useful for some purposes; but for general purposes Iprefer to use four lattices or lazy-tongs connected, as shown in Figs.4, 17, 21, or 28, the meshes of. which form ladders both inside andoutside of the tower, if required.

The composite expanding and contracting tower shown in Fig. 1 has itsupper portion composed of four lazy-tongs, as at A, and its lowerportion of four lattices,as at B, so as to obtain increased strength andrigidity in the lower part of the tower. This object I sometimes effectby making the slats of varying strength from top to bottom withoutaugmenting its weight. The slats or bars at the lower part of a tower tobe used vertically should be stronger that those at the upper partthereof.

Another feature of my said invention consists in forming man-holes 0,Figs. 1, 18, and 19, in lattices whose meshes are not large enough topermit a man to pass through them. These man-holes may, if desired, bemade in the corners of a tower, and should be surrounded with strongerslats.

Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 show rigid and hinged corner-plates orconnectors D D for connecting or uniting the sides of a tower. Thesecorner-plates are connected to the slats by rivets or bolts, as shown,so that the lattices or lazy-tongs are free to expand and contract. Theeyebolt connector, Fig. 13, serves for connecting the edge of onelattice to the side of another lattice, (as, for instance, when they arejoined in'the form of a T,) as well as for joining lattices to a centraltube, as shown in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 15, E is aterminal or webbed cornerplate or connector forconnecting or joining towers or lengths or sections of towers together.These connectors are secured by rivets or bolts or otherwise to the endsof the towers or lengths and facilitate the junction of two towers orparts of towers by means of suitable bolts passed through the holes y inthe webs 0c of the said connectors.

My said invention comprises various improved devices or apparatus forexpanding and stilt'ening or sustaining the towers.

R R are ropes used as trusses for stiffening and strengthening towerswhen used in either a vertical or a horizontal position. R R are strutsor stretchers of the truss. These trusses may be used on one or moresides of the tower, and the stretchers R are sometimes made to crosseach other and form a girdle to embrace and retain the tower within thespace R B, Fig. 29, the said stretchers being fastened together by anysuitable means. These stretchers may be attached to the tower before itis expanded, and will move toward the center as the expansion of thetower takes place. Provision is sometimes made for the automatictightening and securing of the said stretchers around the tower when thelatter is raised to the desired height.

F is a screw-link tightener, which may be either vertical or horizontal.One of these tighteners may, if desired, be used on each rope girdle G,with or without rollers, as re-.

side of the tower.

F F are supports or guides for a chain or quired. A screw G is sometimesprovided for tightening this girdle. I

In Fig. 27 I have shown a chain girdle, as G cords tied around the towerat G, and a leather strap buckled round the tower at G for stiffeningthe tower.

In Figs. 1 and 3, F is a lever couplinghook for joining and tighteningchain and rope girdles, stiiteners, and trusses. By moving the lever F,as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 3, the chain G is tightened andmay be kept so by means of the chain G or other suitable means. 1

In Fig. 1, w is a latch-stiffener arranged to lock automatically. Thislatch may be arranged vertically or horizontally. It is pivoted at w andadapted to engage with a pin or stud at 10 H H are the screws forexpanding the towers, whichscrews are usually rotated by means of aWindlass or winch, with or without intermediate gearing. These screwsand the tightening-screws F are held in improved clips I, Fig. '6, whichare secured to the tower by rivets or nuts I. The improved clip consistsof a hinged nut or collar, by means of which the screws H H or F, Figs.1, 5, 18, 19, 26, and 27, may be easily attached to and detached fromtheir nuts and bearings I 1*. These bearings and nuts are sometimes,however, made in one piece, or in two parts bolted together, like anordinary plumberblock.

In some instances I provide for expanding the rear side of the towermore rapidly than the front thereof, so that it will be inclined towarda building in a cambered shape, by making the joints of the lattices orlazy-tongs on one side of shorter distance from each other than those onthe other side; or I arrange the screws at the back only of the ladderand secure the front by means of a chain truss or otherwise; or I employscrews of different pitch, so that when the screws are operated theladder will be inclined, as above described. In a similar manner I canmake a cambered bridge.

In Figs. 4 and 5 are shown telescopic screw and tubular expanders.

H H show a telescopic screw. This screw may have any desired number oflengths or sections.

L is a telescopic tube, which may be placed in the center of the tower,as shown, and is guided at the top or other suitable parts with levers Aarran ed to ex and and contract J o P with the tower; or the tubes maybe placed at or near one-or more corners or sides of the tower.

WVhen several screw-expanders are used on different sides of the tower,they are sometimes} geared together, as shown in-Figs. 18, 19, 20, and22, where two screws act on opposite lattices by means of two sets ofwheelgearing H H The gearing H slides on and is rotated by the square orfeathered shaft 1 In like manner four screws maybe geared together atthe four sides or corners of the tower. I sometimes use an endless chainJ, Figs. 24, 25, and 26, which, passing round or about chain-wheels J,will rotate the screws simultaneously. In the modification shown in Fig.26 four screws H are placed at the corners and rotated by pulling thechain J, or by turning one of the said screws. The slack chain should betaken up by a tightening-pulley or other suitable means.

The tower shown in Fig. 18 is provided at the top with a platform K,upon which a tire man or other person can stand, and which supports thepulleys for the different sets of tackle.

d, Fig. 18, is a cage arranged to be raised suspendedat b, for thepurpose of lowering persons or goodsfrom burning buildings, or o sim arpurpose The platform 'isp ovided with a trap-door aand trap a forpasaget t mes of to h inter o o h ower. The said cage is nade with holes 6, orwith notches o1 shoulders, so that when raised to he opi m y b c ugh nde by h o s c, Fig. 23, attachedto theplatforrnK. Similarhooksareprovided for securing the bottom part d of thecage to the bodythereof whileper nitting its disengagementtherefrom.

when required, so that on arriving at the base of thetowerthe body ofthe cage may be un: hooked and drawn from about its occupant or itscontents. The notch e" in the said hook prevents thedisengagement of thecage from the hooks, except when,i fthe cageis at he op, her pe oi i ghnoug o old it up, andif the cage is at thebottorn the rope c is slackenough for thecageto rest with its weight on the base; and in some casesthe carriage T, 22, is made With an aperture forthe-oageto pass throughto the ground. Cages may, if desired, be hung on or lowered with cordand pulley outside the tower,'as shown at ffi in Figs. 1 and 18.

The tower shown in Figs. 18, 19, 20, and22 is mounted on a skeletoncarriage T, to one side of whichthe tower is attached at .V. The cornersof the tower are attached to bearings \V, Fig. 20, which slide or rollupon the axle and support X asthe tower is expanded or contracted bymeans of the windlasses, gearing, and screws. Sometimes the towerisfastened to the base or top, so as to contract toward thecenter insteadof toward the side V, Fig. 22,',being guided by bearings, as at XV,-Fig. 20, which slide in guides, or by guide: studs which slide ingrooves.

Y Y are levers fitting in holes, with suitable catches arranged in theframing and hollow axles, Figs. 18 and .22, to serve as shafts and forsteadying the tower. When out of use, th ese levers may be placedvertically,assho wn at Y, Fig. 18.

Z Z, Figs. 18, 20, 22, and 27, are screw or ratchet legs with 'pointsand disks for stead y'- ingand plumbing the tower. Thelegs Z supersedesGOtohes when the apparatus is tilted.

When my improved apparatus is to be used where a foot-path or otherpassage must be left clean-I sometimes mount it on a trestlecarriage,Figs. 24., 25, and 25.

T is a frame to which the tower is fastened at V or otherwise in thecenter. This frame-T, which forms the base of the tower, (not sho wn,)is raised to T by means of four screws I I, rotated by pulling the chainJ", or in anyother convenient manner. The said chain can then beremoved, thus leaving a clear passage through the carriage beneath theframe T andthe tower thereon.

Fig. 28 shows in plan how two lazy-tongs-A and two lattices B may beunited by means of my improved corner-plates atD to form a tower whichis oblong intransverse. section. This form of tower isv mostly usefulfor bridges and for ladders whose widthmustbe limited.

My imn ovedexpanding apparatus, adapted for. u invertio leaning, on incined and horizontal,positions,-is obviouslynseful as a fire-escape,firemans ladder, salvage-ladder, l d r f prunin or tt r esfo s t eringfruit, and for general purposes, as a mil ta y a d general observatory,.gnalingstation, surveyors,,photographers, artists, or s a tat on, a ca fd g post i .pon on. o ot e b ge,b idge pieiyla ding, or

embarking-stage, life and otherboat launching apparatus, expandingsubstitute for swine-bri ge ating or fishi g pi a alsolt'ormany otherpurposes.

The size, proportions, strength, and material of the various parts ofthese. apparatuses maybe varied to suit special or general uses. Wheutwoonmore lengths of .tower arcinte edto b joined toget e he code may bejoined by bolting them together through the d nary .h leso slats nd o e-plat and I sometiinesprovidetheen dsintended to be joinedwith webbedcorner-plates, as above described. This arrangement serves .forfasteningtogether two lengthso a qua tower with four bolts only. i

The towers maybe pulled openwhile .horizontal an d used asladderswithoutother appendages than ,those forlocking and stiffening them.

G y-r pesohain wire and rods maybe usech'when required, to steady,remove, and

ure of the character hereinbefore described,

a lattice formed with man-holes 0, surrounded by slats or barsofincreased strength as compared with those forming the other parts of thelattice, substantially as and for the purposes .set forth.

4. In an expanding and contracting structure of rectangular form, andcomposed of lazy-tongs united at their corners or edges by means ofangle-plates, the combination, with a screw II for expanding saidstructure, of the bearing 1* and the nut I, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

5. The combination, with an expanding and contracting structure of thecharacter hereinbefore described, composed of lazy-tongs having theircorners connected by angle- ICC plates, of rope or chain trusses orstruts, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In combination with an expanding and contracting structure of thecharacter hereinbefore described, a skeleton carriage provided Withsteadying and tilting bars and with leveling and tilting legs and feet,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In combination with an expanding and contracting structure of thecharacter hereinbefore described, a skeleton carriage provided with amovable frame, and means, substantially as described, for raising saidframe and holding it up, so as to leave a clear passage through saidcarriage, for the purpose specified.

